PATNA: RJD chief Lalu Prasad, who never fails to swipe at his bugbear the Sangh Parivar, surprised everybody with his calculated remark in Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh, that a Narendra Modi wave is sweeping the country.

While Prasad's intention may well have been to create fear among a section of his social coalition of Muslims and Yadavs, so that they vote cleverly to prevent such an eventuality, RJD's main rival, JD(U), has begun claiming that he has gone "soft" on the BJP.

In fact some JD(U) groupies were quick to point out that more than a fortnight back, when expelled BJP leader Ram Jethmalani claimed in a TV interview that Prasad will support Modi at his behest in making him PM, neither Prasad nor any other RJD leader contradicted him. Jethmalani, a Modi supporter, is Prasad's lawyer in a fodder scam case. The former Bihar CM got a reprieve from the Supreme Court in a case pleaded by Jethmalani.

However, RJD leaders were appalled at the suggestion. "I don't think Laluji will make such a remark seriously," said RJD legislature party leader Abdul Bari Siddiqui. The news could be mischievous, he said.

RJD general secretary Ram Kripal Yadav said, "Everybody knows Lalu is a sworn enemy of the BJP. How can he praise Modi?" Asked why the report hasn't been contradicted, he said Lalu would do it himself once he is back from Mirzapur.

Meanwhile, JD(U) continues to accuse Lalu of joining hands with the BJP on the time-worn premise that 'enemy's enemy is a friend'.

JD(U) general secretary Bhim Singh said, "It's undeniable that both the RJD and BJP are on the same page in attacking the JD(U) government. Both called for bandh a day after the midday meal tragedy in Saran and also joined hands to protest against the Bodh Gaya blasts." Singh said the RJD supremo can go to any extent for his political survival.

Some RJD leaders are buying this logic. "Lalu is worried and will take a position that suits him politically, even if it means favouring Modi," said a senior party leader on condition of anonymity. He also recalled that when Lalu was injured in a freak accident, Modi called him up from Ahmedabad.

'Will thwart communal forces'

On a personal visit to Varanasi from Mirzapur where Lalu Prasad held a rally, the RJD strongman accepted lack of unity among secular forces but added that "such forces would certainly come together to thwart communal forces from forming government".

"Hastinapur (Delhi) ki satta par Advani aur unka chela Narendra Modi kabhi kabij nahi ho sakega (Advani and his disciple Narendra Modi will never succeed in fulfilling their dream to form their government at the Centre)," he told reporters.